Introduction
Everyone is familiar with services such as Uber and Booking.com, but few people are aware that, in fact, they are affiliate programs. An affiliate program is a marketing model, where an affiliate intermediary is involved in a promotional campaign, and an advertiser pays for end results.
Any advertiser can create their own affiliate program. They can do so independently or by using existing affiliate program constructs.
In the latter case, the advertiser is subject to the affiliate's costs, as well as the need to combat potential fraudulent actions on the part of affiliates. Moreover, the affiliates lack trust in the advertiser, as no one can be sure that results are not being concealed or tampered with.
Such shortcomings are absent when an advertiser relies on the services of an affiliate network. However, costs rise as up to 50% of results could be commissions paid for the affiliate network.
But, what if a solution could combine the benefits of both approaches?
Introducing the world's first decentralized marketing platform - HOQU.
HOQU is a decentralized affiliate platform combining the performance-marketing model with blockchain technology. The aim of the project is to create a decentralized ecosystem, which will be used to build CPA services, ranging from affiliate programs to affiliate networks and related products. HOQU integrates advertisers, networks and affiliates into a single platform, significantly reducing the financial costs for all market participants.
On the HOQU platform, an advertiser can easily create affiliate offers, and the results of affiliate advertising campaigns will be stored in distributed registries (blockchain). Rewards will be paid through smart contracts that guarantee honesty and transparency of transactions. A smart anti-fraud system developed as part of the advertiser's decentralized application will not allow affiliates to engage in fraudulent activities, and independent, decentralized audit appeal centers will address any emerging, controversial issues.
The HOQU platform will also be useful for existing affiliate networks. The SDK will enable one to integrate networks with the platform, thereby lowering the cost of paying affiliate fees. As well, it shall and add transparency to your network by enabling all affiliates registered within the platform to work with affiliate programs of the network.
Industry Issues and Solutions
The stagnation of the traditional advertising industry and the development of digital methods of attracting customers make the question of the future of internet advertising more relevant. The International Advertising Bureau identified the main problem for internet advertising and performance marketing as the establishing of common client action accounting mechanisms between advertisers and affiliates. Thus, the main problem in this market is establishing trust between the parties.
- Issue of Fraudulent Schemes
- Personal Identification Issues
- Ensuring Results
- The Issue of Security and Stability
- Cost Issue
- The Issue of Conflicts
- Functionality and Ease of Use
Current centralized affiliate networks and platforms are largely opaque and incapable of solving the aforementioned problems. HOQU technologically surpasses the competition and, thanks to the design team's solutions, can address most current market problems.
Description of the HOQU Platform
Platform Units
Decentralized web applications will be designed to work with the platform and can be accessed through hoqu.com, as well as an SDK for custom solution developers.
Blockchain will store affiliate, merchant, offer, lead and affiliate network data.
Data from the blockchain will be collected in real time, then processed and stored in a relational database. Any user registered on the platform can work with the database through the public API. Because the platform uses the Ethereum blockchain, this feature is needed to ensure that users do not have to incur additional overheads by burning gas when they receive data directly.
Such architecture allows new users to work with the platform without wasting time, whilst taking full advantage of decentralized solutions as well as integrating with the platform. Using the SDK, all existing affiliate networks will be able to add to their solutions the benefits of the decentralized HOQU platform.
Let’s take a look at how HOQU’s decentralized web apps will be used.
Platform Users
We’ll develop decentralized web apps for merchants, affiliates, affiliate network administrators, and appeal/audit center operators.
Each web app will use a public API to obtain user data. Merchant and affiliate network apps will also use a private API to provide affiliates with affiliate program data.
Here is how you can use HOQU’s decentralized web apps.
How to Register on HOQU
Before starting work on the platform, a user must register with the web service hoqu.com, confirming their phone number and e-mail address
The next step is for the user to undergo verification. At the moment, verification is planned with the aid of Civic’s service, but in the future internal verification may be implemented, which would require the user's ID and registration address.
Next, an Ethereum hot wallet is created, giving the user a personal Ethereum address and a private key to the wallet, required to access their personal account on other devices.
The next step is for the user to indicate their role in the system — advertiser or affiliate. Depending on their selected role, they are given access to the appropriate personal account.
Creation of the affiliate program
Within an advertiser's decentralized web application, an advertiser has the opportunity to create their own affiliate program where they can register offers on the system by setting the rules for and the amount of an affiliate's reward.
An affiliate can receive a reward for various types of application — leads, activities, installs, calls, GEA, and more. They can also have objective (scoring is performed automatically) and subjective (scoring is performed after the body of the lead is evaluated by the operator) evaluation criteria.
Reward amounts are determined in HOQU Platform tokens (HQX); a reward can have a fixed value, or it may be calculated as a percentage of the value of an attracted lead. It is also possible to fix the cost of a lead to any fiat currency. In this case, the value of a lead will be calculated in HQX tokens at the internal exchange rate current at the moment the lead was created on the hoqu.com web service.
An affiliate program can be created either directly by an advertiser in their personal account or by an affiliate network on behalf of the advertiser, who must become its member in advance.
In the event that an affiliate program is created by an affiliate network, all editing and publishing rights belong to the affiliate network, the data is stored in the network database, and the advertiser is the nominal owner.
After the affiliate program is created, its header data are placed on the blockchain. Full data on the affiliate program is located in the advertisers' relational database or affiliate network, depending on who the creator of the affiliate program is. To access the data in this database, one can use an API, whose logon credentials are also stored on the blockchain along with affiliate program data. To access data through the API, if you are working with an affiliate network, or when an affiliate program has a private status, users need a private API key that is issued to affiliate network members or issued by advertisers upon an affiliate's request. In addition to the information above, the affiliate program has the API credentials of the supporting services — the lead tracker and the authorized Appeal Center.
Decentralized web application for Affiliate Network Administrators
A decentralized affiliate network administrator application allows one to create and deploy affiliate networks on the HOQU platform. This application has built-in trackers that can work with any kind of payment for action — CPL, CPS, CPO, CPC, CPI, and others.
The Affiliate Network Administrator application consists of many modules:
- HUM (HOQU user management) is a system for managing the administrators (users) of an affiliate network, with a feature for creating different roles, adding and restricting different access rights.
- HAFS (HOQU Anti-Fraud System) is an anti-fraud system that identifies fraudulent leads using more than 50 different metrics, neural networks and machine learning.
- HAT (HOQU Automation Tools) - an automation tool that includes tools for creating templates for promo materials, and tools for developing an operating strategy for affiliate programs using specified algorithms, allowing an increase in the KPI.
- HAM (HOQU Affiliate Management) - a system that allows affiliate members of a network to join different groups, assign them different ranks and influence the reputation of participants.
- HPD (HOQU Plugins Development) — each affiliate network can use different plug-ins for customization, and it is also possible to create custom plug-ins to be made available to affiliates.
- HSR (HOQU Statistic reports) — the system displays statistics with different data in real time and enables the creation of various user reports, and uploading of data to Excel.
- HDPN (HOQU Dedicated Phone Numbers) - a system allowing one to associate a different phone number with a specific affiliate's work (required when using the pay per call model).
- HOQU Support - a system for communication with affiliates and advertisers that includes a ticketing subsystem and chat with users.
An affiliate can start working with an affiliate network by becoming a member. To do so, they must meet the conditions of participation (territory, reputation, etc.) and apply through the public API of the affiliate network to obtain a private API key to access the affiliate network data. Public API credentials can be provided to an affiliate by the affiliate network itself, or obtained from blockchain by calling a special method in the smart contract. The request includes the logon credentials for the public API of an affiliate's web application, through which the affiliate network can obtain all required affiliate data. If approved, the collaboration will be recorded by the affiliate network on blockchain through the appropriate smart contract method.
In order to avoid mass registration of empty affiliates, the affiliate network can be given different auto-rejection criteria for submitted applications or manual confirmation of applications from the affiliate network administrator's office.
After the collaboration is recorded, an affiliate, through the affiliate network API, receives affiliate program data as well as widget data that is designed by the affiliate network to facilitate work with its affiliate programs. A ticketing and chat subsystem is also available for communication with the representatives of an affiliate network.
Registration of a lead on the HOQU platform
For lead registration, the platform uses special services known as trackers. A tracker has its own Ethereum address, a relational database, and special software registering different types of transactions (leads). Trackers have permission to determine the method of adding a lead in the smart contract. The tracker software can regulate not only the leads but also how these leads are sold — whether directly to the advertiser or auctioned.
Anyone who wants to register their tracker can do this by determining a special smart contract method, specifying the type of lead to be accepted, as well as access credentials to the public API of the tracker.
The approximate scenario for a typical tracker is as follows. The affiliate passes the lead through the tracker API, the tracker widget, JS of the tracker API, and so on, and primary processing of the lead is done without registering it on the blockchain. At this stage, you will be protected against mass lead-adding attack, which if detected can lead to blocking of the private API-key of an affiliate.
The lead is then registered on the blockchain by determining the special tracker smart contract method, which first checks for links between the affiliate and the affiliate program, and then adds the metadata to the blockchain. The lead approval event is added to the scheduler queue with a hold time (payment delay) if it is stipulated by the terms of the affiliate program that determines this smart contract method, which charges tokens to the address of the advertiser, and ensures all interested parties are paid. In the event of a successful sale, the advertiser receives a full access key to the data, and the affiliate and affiliate network have a restricted access key. The blockchain stores only the headers of the lead, the party identifiers and the public tracker API credentials which give access to the body of the lead.
Placement Parameters
HQX tokens will be issued according to the ERC20 standard on the Ethereum blockchain. The total number of issued tokens will be 888,888,000 HQX, and no new tokens will be issued. Tokens assigned to the team will be frozen for 6 months, with a further gradual defrosting of 10% per quarter of the original quantity.
General Parameters::
Token: HQX
Total emissions: 888,888,000 HQX
Total amount to be sold: 65% of total token issuance or 577,777,200 HQX
Private-Sale 4% of the tokens sold or 23,111,088 HQX
Pre-Sale 6% of sold tokens or 34,666,632 HQX
22% Sale of the tokens sold or 137,777,640 HQX
Accepted currencies: Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC)
Hard Cap: 32,790 ETH
Pre-Sale Parameters:
Pre-Sale Dates: 13.11.2017 — 20.11.2017
Sales Volume of Pre-Sale: 57,777,720 HQX
Hard cap on Pre-Sale: 7,263 ETH
Pre-Sale Price: 1 ETH = 7,000 HQX (bonus included)
Minimum Buying Transaction: 0.1 ETH
Maximum Buying Transaction: Unlimited
Bonuses: The bonus is 40% of the price in the main sale
Main Sale Parameters:
Main Sale Dates: 27.11.2017 - 26.02.2018
Sales Volume at Main Sale: 137,777,640 HQX
Hard cap on Main Sale: 25,527 ETH
Main Sale Price: 1 HQX = 0.0002 ETH; 1 ETH = 5,000 HQX
Minimum Buying Transaction: 0.1 ETH
Maximum Buying Transaction: Unlimited
Bonus system during the main sale period

Parameters Sale Round 2:
Sale Round 2: Q2-Q3 2018
Sales Volume on Sale Round 2: 382,221,840 HQX
Hard cap on Sale Round 2: TBA
Price on Sale Round 2: TBA
Minimum Buying Transaction: 0.1 ETH
Maximum Buying Transaction: Unlimited
Token distribution:

Bounty program:
2% of total issuance (17,777,760 HQX) will be allocated to the bounty program, which will be distributed as follows:
- 39% Signature and Avatar campaign.
- 26% Content creation.
- 15% Translation and moderation.
- 20% Social media, incl. (https://bounty.hoqu.io/ - bonus is available if KPI is reached): Including Twitter, Facebook, Medium, Telegram, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram and WeChat
Affiliate Program:
HOQU has used a performance marketing model since the very beginning of the project. We offer an affiliate program to which 0.5% of the total issuance will be allocated (4,444,440 HQX). Tokens will be distributed among affiliates according to their invested amounts. The affiliate program will be launched from the beginning of the pre-sale and will run until the end of the main sale.
Team & Advusors
We started working in the internet marketing field in the early 2000s. Gradually developing our expertise, in 2006 we were among the first in Russia to establish our own agency for SEO promotion — PromoPage, and in 2008 we created the real estate aggregator Move.ru and a number of other projects.
As professionals in the advertising industry, we have noticed how poorly advertising campaigns are sometimes realized. Many advertisers and advertising agencies have faulty objectives, which leads to ineffective budgeting. So, unsurprisingly, advertisers are increasingly dissatisfied with the payment mechanism used by publishers and web masters when paid ads or clicks are not converted into sales.
So in 2015, we set up an affiliate network for calling — Marketcall, that works using the performance-marketing model, where an advertiser pays only for results: targeted calls from clients. In two years of work we have become leaders in the number of attracted targeted calls in the CIS market.
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Alexey Shmonov
HOQU CEO and Co-founder
Online advertising expert, entrepreneur. Co-founder of one of Russia’s first affiliate networks Marketcall, Move.ru real estate website, and multiple e-commerce projects. In 2011-2013, Alexey integrated PayPass into TurkPay as the company’s COO.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksey-shmonov-a8294b29/
https://twitter.com/liveeye
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Ralph Liu
HOQU Advisor
Ralph is an investment banker, and a venture investor in the field of blockchain technologies. In 2009, he developed and headed the program for the joint management of real estate - Farjho, and in 2015 - a program for the joint ownership and lease of works of art. Ralph is Founder and Managing Director of Advanced Risk Management Solutions, former Vice President of UBS, Managing Director of JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley, Executive Vice President and Investment Director of China Everbright Bank.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphyliu/
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Maxim Anikeev
HOQU CMO and Co-founder
Online marketing expert, entrepreneur. Co-founder and CEO of Promopage. Has more than 14 years’ experience in IT. Partner of several Promopage-related projects. Co-founder and marketing head of East Lines transportation company (Top 3 in Moscow). In 2008, established LifeSpain.com website.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxim-anikeev-598b14149/
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Dr. Moe Levin
HOQU Advisor
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Keynote, an investor in high-tech startups, and an advisor to governments, regulators, banks, and venture-backed companies. Moe is also the Co-Founder of the first accredited Blockchain Academy, an early investor in RSK Labs, Labfresh, Dropbox, and others. Prior to founding Keynote, Moe was responsible for launching a venture-backed startup in Europe which raised $30m from Richard Branson, Index Ventures and others.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/moelevin/
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Alexander Duzhnikov
HOQU COO and Co-founder
12 years’ experience in online entrepreneurship, co-founder of Russia’s largest real estate website Move.Ru, co-founder of PPC affiliate network Marketcall, co-founder of multiple e-commerce projects, including top party costume online store Vkostume.Ru. Frequently participates and speaks at CPA events in CIS countries. Organizer of annual Move Realty Awards.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandr-duzhnikov/
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Alex Shifrin
HOQU Advisor
Proven advertising professional with a solid history of successful entrepreneurship and international experience. Currently active as Managing Partner at LP/AD, a Toronto-based creative agency boutique, focusing on revenue growth and market development. Previously served as Regional CEO at Saatchi&Saatchi. Prior to that held the post of Managing Director. Previous to this position, was Managing Partner and Founder of TCF, an advertising boutique, which was acquired by Saatchi&Saatchi.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexshifrin/
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Andrey Duzhnikov
HOQU CTO
Head of HOQU’s development team. Has 13 years’ experience in IT. Has expertise in high-load services and neural networks. Co-founder of Marketcall and Move.ru. Manages IT and web development at Marketcall and Move.ru.
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Kenneth A. Goodwin Jr.
HOQU Advisor
Kenneth is a globally dynamic executive with over 20 years of banking and capital markets experience, a former U.S. White House Business Council/Business Forward member, college adjunct professor and lecturer on International Trade, Forensic Investigation methodology, and an entrepreneurial C-suite executive for FDI projects in US, Asia (China, Japan) and Africa.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/akennethgoodwinjr/
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Roman Kaufman
HOQU CVO
Has expertise in digital economics and blockchain technology. Co-founder of IBCG, the largest blockchain community in Russia and Eastern Europe with over 15,000 members. One of the major blockchain specialists. Frequent speaker at high-profile blockchain-themed events. Builds and maintains relationships with investor communities and venture funds.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-k-95233654/
https://twitter.com/1RomanHQ
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Abdelrahman Younis
HOQU Business Development @ IR Middle East
The delegate of the future of marketing in Arab countries, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar. Participates in multiple thematic conferences, builds relationships with local companies and investors. Has a B.A. in English Studies and an M.A. in translation.
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Mike Zarubin
HOQU Business Development @ IR Asia
The top-manager of a large distribution business of Chinese vehicles in Russia. He has successful experience in development of international projects on government level since 2005. He is an expert on IT, trade & industry relations with China. Graduated from EMBA IMISP'2016.
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Rouben Alikian
Communications Specialist and Editor-in-Chief
Has extensive experience in written communications and linguistics services after having worked for many years in such global communications firms as ABBYY Language Services, Neotech and others. He has also worked as an internal and external communications specialist at KPMG and another prominent legal firm as a PR Director. Rouben is fluent in five languages and is the author of multiple books. Has a B.A. in marketing and a B.A. in English language.
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Pankaj Mondal
HOQU Associate Editor
Conducts editorial operations within the organization. Writes on blockchain and digital marketing topics for a host of publications. Expert content marketer.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pankajmondal/
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Ko Sugimori
HAsian Market PR & Digital Marketing Consultant
Has worked in the Personal Media International web consultancy, one of the leading Japanese consultancies, as a localization manager, business developer and bespoke website creation server facilitator. Has also worked with major airlines, travel agencies, IT & telecommunications companies.
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Xu Wei
HOQU Sales Direction Management Officer
Full-cycle sales management. Responsible for interaction with key clients and expanding client base in China.
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Alex Tsanev
HOQU Brand Identity Designer
Specializes in branding and logo design development. His works and achievements on design are published and featured on major design related platforms, and some can be seen in printed editions. Currently works as an independent consultant helping various businesses from all over the world to have a competitive visual style.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-tsanev-7638069/
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Timur Poltorykhin
International Business Developer and shareholders board advisor
Entrepreneur, expert and business coach in internet marketing, forex industry and project management. Former CEO at Leadmonster.com, COO at Move.ru, Marketcall. For the past 2 years was deeply in Internet of Things (IoT) industry. CEO at Rtlservice.com
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Yuri Yuriev
HOQU Top analyst
Headed analytical departments at Move.ru, Marketcall, and major e-commerce projects. In late 2010, picked up cryptocurrencies as a hobby. Did mining professionally and contributed to creating a large bitcoin pool.
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Ilya Mesheryakov
HOQU Head of affiliate department
Worked for Lead Monster, the international microfinance affiliate network. CPA marketing expert. Advanced skills in project management, affiliate relations, and exploring new business opportunities.
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Svetlana Fedorova
HOQU Event manager
Event marketing expert. Has five years’ experience in building and promoting brands through event marketing. Project management, conference and speech production. Head of and mastermind behind Move Realty Awards.
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Alexander Shkarupa
HOQU Head of quality control and fraud detection department
Affiliate relations manager. Lead expert in affiliate services quality control. Master of advertising.
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Nikita Ogoltsov
HOQU Lead email marketing specialist
In 2011 joined a major e-commerce project Mamsy.ru. Since 2015, has headed the email marketing department at Marketcall. Expert in subscriber relations and communication strategies.
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Alexey Kuznetsov
HOQU Lead targeted advertising specialist
In 2015 joined a large e-commerce project Printbar.ru. Since 2017, has managed targeted advertising campaigns at Marketcall. Knows how to drive traffic and boost conversion.
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Anastasia Amelina
HOQU Top analyst
Expert in automated reporting and Power BI. Has experience managing big volumes of data for 9 digital projects simultaneously.
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Mikhail Klopyzhnikov
HOQU Project Manager
Manages content creation process for hoqu.io and social media. In 2006-2012, worked for Rosbank, Binbank, and Russian Capital Bank (Russia’s TOP-20 banks). Has grown from a loan expert to retail adviser to the Chairman of the Board (15 sales points, 40 subordinates). Since 2012, has headed the development department at Promopage.
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Olga Stefeeva
HOQU Editor, author
LSI copywriting specialist. Has more than 10 years’ experience in online marketing. Since 2014, has headed the copywriting department at Promopage.
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Ilyas Akhmedov
HOQU Video and graphic producer
Co-founder of LDK video production company. Certified Apple instructor for Final Cut Pro X. Teaches video editing. Film editor.
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Egor Gorbunov
HOQU SEO analyst
SEO strategies for affiliate websites, consulting and support. Since 2007, has studied search engine ranking algorithms at Promopage. Head of SEO department at Promopage.
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Andrey Volchkov
HOQU SEO specialist
Builds and maintains relationships with key SEO partners. Knows how to drive target traffic to affiliate websites, boost conversion, and generate leads.
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Sergey Skunov
HOQU Senior Developer
IT Director of Marketcall since 2015. Is involved in developing and maintaining a whole array of Marketcall services. Keen on innovative technologies, neural networks, and mining.
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Sergey Bakhmet
HOQU Full-Stack programmer
Was involved in developing and maintaining Novostroyki.org, a real estate website on Russia’s new housing. Contributed to maintaining a few major e-commerce projects (Vkostume.Ru, Vipbikini.Ru, Military.Ru).
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Andrey Grishin
HOQU Full-stack programmer
Since 2016, has been involved in developing new services and maintaining major e-commerce projects (Vkostume.Ru, Vipbikini.Ru, Military.Ru).
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Alexander Zosimov
HOQU Full-stack programmer
Since 2014, has been involved in developing and maintaining Move.Ru real estate website. Takes interest in PHP, Yii, Laravel, Lumen, Doctrine, ZF, JS, Webpack, Vue.
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Vladimir Kamensky
HOQU Project Manager
Since 2014, has worked as a project manager for real estate website Move.Ru, new housing website Novostroyki.org, and online stores Vkostume.ru, Military.ru, and Vipbikini.ru. Since 2016, has managed the development of e-commerce management system for Ec-crm.ru. Was involved in designing Marketcall affiliate system. Keen on high-load projects and big data.
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Alexander Krivtsun
Senior Developer, HOQU Smart Contract Developer
Since 2014, has been involved in developing and designing the first version of Marketcall affiliate system. Takes interest in new programming skills, neural networks, and development of blockchain-based decentralized apps.
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Denis Degterin
Senior Developer, HOQU Smart Contract Developer
Developed and designed the first version of Marketcall affiliate system. Takes interest in neural networks and development of blockchain-based decentralized apps.
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Konstantin Lozhkin
Senior Developer, HOQU Ad-tech Developer
Was involved in designing and developing a discount system for Groupon.uz. Worked as web developer at Oi.uz and Seon.asia. Since 2014, has been involved in developing and maintaining Novostroyki.org, a real estate website on Russia’s new housing. Contributes to maintaining Move.Ru and Marketcall websites. Keen on high-load projects, enterprise development, and VR/AR.
Thanks to performance marketing and blockchain technology, we are now on the verge of establishing a new market for internet advertising, where every penny is spent on effective customer engagement. HOQU entering the market will lead to changes in the industry. Our analysis has shown that the changes are in line with the needs of market participants, and that new technologies have made it possible to technically organize the process at a whole new level of quality.
Advertising is an integral part of our lives. It drives business and helps customers to make a choice. With the introduction of blockchain technology into more and more areas of business (finance, tourism, real estate, etc.), new multi-billion-dollar markets will be available to performance marketing. We are creating the platform that will help us realize these new opportunities together with you.